Snowe Opponent Backs DADT Repeal

Snowe Opponent Backs DADT Repeal

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) is
ready to vote
for repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell if and when the bill comes up next week. One reason, I think, is that there is no serious pressure on her to vote "no" from the right in her state. I checked in with Andrew Ian Dodge, the Maine Tea Party organizer
who's considering a primary challenge
to Snowe, and asked whether he'd vote for DADT repeal if he were in the Senate this month.

"Yes," said Dodge. "It should be a stand alone up or down vote because it's an issue that deserves its own bill. Sneaking it into an over-all defense spending bill seemed sordid and dishonest. Ultimately this sort of thing should
not
be a political issue and left up to the military to decide for itself. It's just one of those issues I can't believe conservatives get their knickers in a twist about. Last Saturday evening I was in the company of four military (or ex) and not one of them thought DADT should stand."

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Snowe's given every indication that she personally favors repealing DADT, but surely one reason she's a safe vote now is that social conservatives don't have the clout to challenge her vote that economic conservative have to nail her on spending.